family portraits and other death marches

Maybe I'm too tense or something, but in my mind "family portrait" is in the same category as that once-a-year appointment with the doctor who makes small talk while under the drape: unpleasant, but neccessary.

It's not one thing, really, but the whole thing that has me in a tizzy: the idea of getting my entire family looking clean, cute and sane at the same time is daunting. From the time I book the appointment to the time we're sitting in the studio I age a few years, like Presidents do in office. It takes weeks, literally --there's haircuts to schedule and the clothes to plan and the baths to run everyone through; then there's the timing of the event -- everyone needs to be in the Best Mood Possible, not hungry, tired, or running out of the benefits of medication. Finally we all have to look reasonably in the same direction and smile pleasantly -- not maniacally, not evilly, not sulkily. Oh, and if the boy child doesn't look too restrained, that's a double bonus of the highest order.

We recently took ourselves to Sears to redeem a gift certificate for a family portrait, and I have to say it went much smoother than I was bracing myself for... Besides the weeks of work, I attribute our good experience to three key things:

*Thomas was in an excellent mood, which was HUGE.

*The photographer was quick, alert, and snap-happy -- she'd click that button if there was the remotest chance the picture would be cute.

*Matt and Megan were their cute selves, and I had the first recorded Good Hair Day/Picture Day co-existence, EVER.

In the end, we had so many good pictures to choose from, it was actually hard to pick just one as our official Family Portrait. We finally decided on a nice grouping, and added a few sheets of some other cute poses -- the kids together, and the kids individually -- and left with our CD of pics.

Once home, I loaded the CD onto the computer and downloaded the pictures, marvelling again at the great expressions on Thomas's face, the cute freckles on Megan's face, the relaxed smiles of the four of us -- and then I froze. The cute individual picture of Thomas, where he's smiling in impish delight? It has another feature. I'll upload it here and add it to the bottom of this post for you to enjoy. Just remember, he isn't doing it on purpose... I'm pretty sure... LOL